Instructors

Instructors

Here at East West we work with every student to bring out their personal best. Our program develops students’ strengths and helps them work past their weaknesses. And we make learning fun!

I have over 30 years experience in using the art of Tae Kwon Do to help children and adults develop strength, discipline, and confidence. By helping my students learn expert technique in Tae Kwon Do, and by reinforcing the importance of the core tenets – courtesy, integrity, self-control, perseverance, and indomitable spirit – in each of our classes, we provide our students with the tools needed for a healthy and successful life.

When it comes to the martial arts, all martial arts schools are NOT equal. Over the past twenty years, the world of martial arts has changed significantly. Going back twenty to thirty years ago, the status of black belt was held amongst only the most elite of individuals. Over time, and through commercialization, many schools have adopted watered down versions of the martial arts – adopting the martial arts as merely a form of exercise and sacrificing the technical knowledge that make the martial arts and Tae Kwon Do so unique. As a result, attaining a black belt at these schools, which have since been termed “McDojos,” has become more about business than actual student development.

At East West Tae Kwon Do, we’ve worked hard to maintain the highest quality martial arts training for our students, while making it a fun environment to learn. By doing so, our students can be confident in the effectiveness of their technical skills, and know with certainty that they have truly EARNED their rank. Unfortunately, that is not the case in all martial arts schools.

At East West, we compete in local, state, regional and national tournaments. Some of our students love to compete and we are here to help them take their training to a higher level in competition. We view tournaments as an important supplement to training. It’s not just about winning medals. Whether students compete in poomsae (forms), board breaking, or sparring, the competition setting allows students to further challenge themselves – physically and mentally – in a friendly and controlled environment that cannot be mimicked in any studio. However, we recognize that many students aren’t interested in competing, and that is fine too!

We hope to see you in one of our studios or after school programs! Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Master Parshotam Sharma

Master Sharma is a 5th Dan Black belt, a Maryland State, Virginia Commonwealth, and US national champion in sparring and board breaking. He is a US National Level Referee, US National Level Coach, and has produced 16 National Champions and over 200 state champions.

Master Holder, Instructor
Master Holder has more than 30 years of experience in Tae Kwon Do. His love for the art and sport has earned him gold medals in state games, Junior Olympics Open Nationals, and 10 Maryland State Heavy Weight Championships, as well as a bronze medal at the 1998 National Championship. Master Holder currently holds a 4th degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. He specializes in teaching children with learning disorders, ADD and ADHD, and ASD. His main objective is to enable students to gain a love for Tae Kwon Do and its values through the five tenets of courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit.

Mr. Tam, Instructor
Mr. Tam began his Tae Kwon Do journey when he was 10 years old. While gaining experience in many disciplines including Kung Fu, Wushu and Muay Thai, Mr. Tam came full circle back to Tae Kwon Do to earn his certified black belt. He believes in the importance of martial arts training to improve physical conditioning, self-confidence and mental strength. Mr. Tam seeks to help enrich the lives of others, hoping to provide all students with the means to express themselves to their fullest potential.

Mrs. Yu, Instructor
Stacy Yu is a first degree black belt in tae kwon do out of California. With a decade of experience teaching tae kwon do to young children, she has witnessed the positive impact that martial arts training has on children’s physical and mental well-being time and time again. Mrs. Yu hopes to empower every student with the ability to develop the best version of themselves physically, mentally and spiritually through the art of tae kwon do.